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Oncology Pharmacy Specialty Certification Examination (BCOP)
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties' Oncology Pharmacy specialty certification examination: a single continuous, computer-based exam of 150 items (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest) in 3 hours 45 minutes, covering three weighted domains (Oncology Diagnosis and Testing 23%, Therapeutics and Patient Management 49%, Professional Practice 28%). Passing requires a scaled score of at least 500 on a 200-800 scale set by criterion-referenced standard setting; passers earn the Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP) designation. Delivered under continuous testing (scheduling within 90 days of application approval) primarily at Pearson test centers, with online/remote delivery only by case-by-case exception in the US, Australia, and Canada. First-time fee USD 600; discounted retake USD 300.
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Questions150 items (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest items embedded in the test)
Testing time3 hours 45 minutes (covers exam introduction, tutorial, and the 150 items; no scheduled breaks — one optional 10-minute unscheduled break, deducted from the candidate's existing time)
ScoringCriterion-referenced passing standard set per specialty; minimum passing score is 500 on the 200-800 scale, and pass/fail decisions are based exclusively on the total score. Successful candidates receive no numerical score feedback; unsuccessful candidates receive their total score and domain-level performance feedback
Exam feeUSD 600 first-time applicant fee; USD 300 discounted retake fee (only for candidates who failed within the past year); after passing, a USD 125 Annual Certification Maintenance fee each year for years one through six plus a USD 400 recertification application fee in year seven (USD 200 recertification retake). Cancellation/reschedule fees: none at 30+ days out, USD 60 at 5-29 days, no change allowed within 5 days of the appointment. Complete applications are processed within 30 calendar days
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- BPS
- Category
- Pharmacist Specialty Certification
- Current version
- BCOP Examination Specifications effective January 2024 (ECO creation date February 2022; listed by BPS as the current outline for Oncology Pharmacy '2025 Administration and onward', with a future ECO anticipated for August 2027 administration and onward)
- Where it applies
- Global
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- 200-800 (500 = passing point)
- Testing provider
- Pearson (Pearson test centers), BPS's exam delivery partner
- Format
- Computer-based, delivered primarily at Pearson test centers under continuous testing; no scheduled breaks (one optional 10-minute unscheduled break deducted from exam time); online/remote testing is not a standard option and is approved only case-by-case for eligible candidates in the United States, Australia, and Canada with advance BPS approval
- Availability
- Continuous testing: candidates may register throughout the year and take the exam at any point in their eligibility period; BPS reviews applications within 30 calendar days, and from the date of application approval the session may be scheduled any time within the following 90 calendar days
- Results
- Beginning January 2026, an immediate preliminary pass/fail score report is shown on screen at completion, with the official score report available in the candidate's MyBPS account within 45 calendar days of the test session; certification becomes active the first day of the following month, and physical certificates/digital badges are sent within about 90 days
- Remote testing
- Varies by jurisdiction
Exam structure
One continuous computer-based exam of 150 items (125 scored, 25 pretest) across three weighted domains: 1. Oncology Diagnosis and Testing 23% (Oncology Diagnosis 9%, Oncology Testing 9%, Cancer Detection and Prevention 5%), 2. Therapeutics and Patient Management 49% (Treatment Planning 16%, Therapeutic Implementation 16%, Cancer Outcomes and Treatment Monitoring 17%), 3. Professional Practice 28% (Clinical Trials and Research 14%, Practice Management 14%). Items are in multiple-choice format, the great majority with a single response from among four options (a small percentage may require selecting multiple responses)
Where rules vary
Open to pharmacists licensed/registered in the U.S. or another jurisdiction and delivered at Pearson test centers internationally; the certifying body is U.S.-based but the examination is not restricted to one country. BPS notes case-by-case remote approval limited to the United States, Australia, and Canada.
Eligibility
Graduation from an ACPE-accredited pharmacy program (or a non-U.S. program that qualifies the individual to practice in that jurisdiction); a current, active pharmacist license/registration in the U.S. or another jurisdiction; and, within the past 7 years, one of: at least 4 years of oncology pharmacy practice experience post-licensure with at least 50% of time in the exam scope (employer attestation on letterhead required), PGY1 residency plus at least 2 years of oncology practice experience with at least 50% of time in the exam scope, or successful completion of a PGY2 pharmacy residency in Oncology Pharmacy; a PDF/JPG of the current license must be uploaded with the application, with documentation submitted in English
Retake policy
Three total attempts (first attempt plus two retakes); a mandatory 90-calendar-day washout period after each attempt, after which candidates have a maximum of 90 calendar days to schedule and complete the next attempt; if a passing score is not achieved after the third attempt, the examinee must wait 12 months from the final attempt before submitting a new application with the $600 fee